Schizophrenia - Prevalence
The lifetime prevalence rate for schizophrenia is approximately 1% Kieth S.J., Regier, D.A. & Rae,D.S> (1991). Schizophenic disorders. In L.N. Robins & D.A. Regier (Eds) Psychiatic Disorders in America: The Epidemiologic Catchment Area Study(p33-52) New York:Free Press. . However, a 2002 systematic review of many studies found a lifetime prevalence of 0.55%. Effects of cultural context Despite the received wisdom that schizophrenia occurs at similar rates worldwide, its prevalence varies across the world, within countries, and at the local and neighbourhood level. Relationship with urbanization However it does seem to be more prevent in urban areas of industrialized countries. Peen, J. & Dekker, J. (1997). Admission rates for schizophrenia in the Netherlands: An urban/rural comparision. Acta Psychiatrica Scaninavica, 96, 301-305.. One particularly stable and replicable finding has been the association between living in an urban environment and schizophrenia diagnosis, even after factors such as drug use, ethnic group and size of social group have been controlled for. Sex Schizophrenia occurs equally in males and females, although typically appears earlier in men—the peak ages of onset are 20–28 years for males and 26–32 years for females. Age Onset in childhood is much rarer, as is onset in middle- or old age. References Further reading Key Texts – Books Additional material – Books Key Texts – Papers *Bijl R, Ravelli A, van Zessen G. Prevalence of psychiatric disorder in the general population: results of the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS). Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 1998;33:587–95. *Bourdon KH, Rae DS, Locke BZ, Narrow WE, Regier DA. Estimating the prevalence of mental disorders in US adults from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area Survey. Public Health Rep 1992;107:663–8. *Chen CN, Wong J, Lee N, Chan-Ho M-W, Lau JT, Fung M. The Shatin Community Mental Health Survey in Hong Kong. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1993;50:125–33. *Clayer JR, McFarlane AC, Bookless CL, Air T, Wright G, Czechowicz AS. Prevalence of psychiatric disorders in rural South Australia. Med J Aust 1995;163:124–9. *Harvey CA, Pantelis C, Taylor J, McCabe PJ, Lefevre K, Campbell PG, and others. The Camden Schizophrenia Surveys. II. High prevalence of schizophrenia in an inner London borough and its relationship to socio-demographic factors. Br J Psychiatry 1996;168:418–26. *Jeffreys SE, Harvey CA, McNaught AS, Quayle AS, King MB, Bird AS. The Hampstead Schizophrenia Survey 1991. I: Prevalence and service use comparisons in an inner London health authority, 1986-1991. Br J Psychiatry 1997;170:301–6. *Kendler KS, Gallagher TJ, Abelson JM, Kessler RC. Lifetime prevalence, demographic risk factors, and diagnostic validity of nonaffective psychosis as assessed in a US community sample. The National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1996;53:1022–31. *Kessler RC, McGonagle KA, Zhao S, Nelson CB, Hughes M, Eshleman S, and others. Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States. Results from the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1994;51:8–19. *Regier DA, Narrow WE, Rae DS, Manderscheid RW, Locke BZ, Goodwin FK. The de facto United States mental and addictive disorders service system. epidemiologic catchment area prospective 1-year prevalence rates of disorders and services. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1993;50(2):85–94. *Torrey EF. Prevalence studies in schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry 1987;150:598–608. *Widerlov B, Lindstrom E, von Knorring L. One-year prevalence of long-term functional psychosis in three different areas of Uppsala. Acta Psychiatr Scand 1997;96:452–8. *Wittchen H-U, Essau CA, von Zerssen D, Krieg J-C, Zaudig M. Lifetime and six-month prevalence of mental disorders in the Munich Follow-up Study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 1992;241:247–58. Additional material - Papers External links Category:Schizophrenia Category:Mental health epidemiology